Difference between revisions of "Indicating location with "zai" before verbs"

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* 我 <em>在</em> <strong>上海</strong> 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>Shànghǎi</strong> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">I am working in Shanghai.</span>
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* 我 <em>在</em> <strong>上海</strong> 上大学。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>Shànghǎi</strong> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">I am working in Shanghai.</span>
* <em>在</em> <strong>酒吧</strong> 喝酒 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>jiǔbā</strong> hē jiǔ.</span> <span class="trans">I am drinking at the bar.</span>
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* �爸爸 一直 <em>在</em> <strong>�这家公司</strong> 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>jiǔbā</strong> hē jiǔ.</span> <span class="trans">I am drinking at the bar.</span>
* 他 <em>在</em> <strong>图书馆</strong> 看书 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zài</em> <strong>túshūguǎn</strong> kàn shū.</span> <span class="trans">He is reading in the library.</span>
 
* 我 <em>在</em> <strong>这 个 公司</strong> 工作。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>zhè ge gōngsī</strong> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">I work at this company.</span>
 
* 我 周末 要 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 睡觉。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò yào <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> shuìjiào.</span> <span class="trans">During the weekend, I want to sleep at home.</span>
 
 
* 不 要 <em>在</em> <strong>床 上</strong> 吃 东西。 <span class="expl">need a "上" with "在" to indicate the location " on the bed".</span><span class="pinyin">Bù yào <em>zài</em> <strong>chuáng shàng</strong> chī dōngxī.</span> <span class="trans">Don't eat food on the bed.</span>
 
* 不 要 <em>在</em> <strong>床 上</strong> 吃 东西。 <span class="expl">need a "上" with "在" to indicate the location " on the bed".</span><span class="pinyin">Bù yào <em>zài</em> <strong>chuáng shàng</strong> chī dōngxī.</span> <span class="trans">Don't eat food on the bed.</span>
 
* 我 想 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 开 一 个 派对。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> kāi yī gè pàiduì.</span> <span class="trans">I want to have a party at my home.</span>
 
* 我 想 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 开 一 个 派对。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> kāi yī gè pàiduì.</span> <span class="trans">I want to have a party at my home.</span>
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* 很 多 人 <em>在</em> <strong>地铁 上</strong> 吃 早饭。 <span class="expl">need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the subway".</span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <em>zài</em> <strong>dìtiě shàng</strong> chī bāozi.</span> <span class="trans"> Many people eat baozi while on the subway.</span>
 
* 很 多 人 <em>在</em> <strong>地铁 上</strong> 吃 早饭。 <span class="expl">need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the subway".</span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <em>zài</em> <strong>dìtiě shàng</strong> chī bāozi.</span> <span class="trans"> Many people eat baozi while on the subway.</span>
 
* 现在 我们 <em>在</em> <strong>KTV</strong> 唱歌。 <span class="pinyin">Xiànzài wǒmen <em>zài</em> <strong>KTV</strong> chàng gē.</span> <span class="trans">Now we're at KTV singing songs.</span>
 
* 现在 我们 <em>在</em> <strong>KTV</strong> 唱歌。 <span class="pinyin">Xiànzài wǒmen <em>zài</em> <strong>KTV</strong> chàng gē.</span> <span class="trans">Now we're at KTV singing songs.</span>
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* 老板 <em>在</em> <strong>��会议室</strong> 见 客户。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zài</em> <strong>túshūguǎn</strong> kàn shū.</span> <span class="trans">He is reading in the library.</span>
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* �你 昨天 <em>在</em> <strong>朋友家</strong> 吃 晚饭 了 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zài</em> <strong>zhè ge gōngsī</strong> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">I work at this company.</span>
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* 我 周末 要 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 睡觉。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò yào <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> shuìjiào.</span> <span class="trans">During the weekend, I want to sleep at home.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 07:26, 15 October 2015

If you want to describe the place where you are doing, or have done something, you can use 在 (zài).

Structure

To indicate the location that a verb takes place in, 在 (zài) is used.

Subj. + 在 + Location + Verb + Obj.

Notice that the location is placed before the verb in Chinese, whereas, in English, it appears afterwards. Also, you often need a "里 (lǐ)" with "在 (zài)" after a thing to indicate the location.

Examples

  • 上海 上大学。 zài Shànghǎi gōngzuò. I am working in Shanghai.
  • �爸爸 一直 �这家公司 工作 。 zài jiǔbā hē jiǔ. I am drinking at the bar.
  • 不 要 床 上 吃 东西。 need a "上" with "在" to indicate the location " on the bed".Bù yào zài chuáng shàng chī dōngxī. Don't eat food on the bed.
  • 我 想 开 一 个 派对。 Wǒ xiǎng zài jiā kāi yī gè pàiduì. I want to have a party at my home.
  • 他 喜欢 厕所 里 抽烟。 need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the bathroom".Tā xǐhuan zài cèsuǒ lǐ chōu yān. He likes to smoke while he's in the bathroom.
  • 很 多 人 地铁 上 吃 早饭。 need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the subway".Hěn duō rén zài dìtiě shàng chī bāozi. Many people eat baozi while on the subway.
  • 现在 我们 KTV 唱歌。 Xiànzài wǒmen zài KTV chàng gē. Now we're at KTV singing songs.
  • 老板 ��会议室 见 客户。 zài túshūguǎn kàn shū. He is reading in the library.
  • �你 昨天 朋友家 吃 晚饭 了 吗?zài zhè ge gōngsī gōngzuò. I work at this company.
  • 我 周末 要 睡觉。 Wǒ zhōumò yào zài jiā shuìjiào. During the weekend, I want to sleep at home.

Notice that in English we usually put the location at the end of a sentence. This is different in Chinese, as we put the location after the subject, but before the verb.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books